Report: Irsay wants Luck in, Peyton out

Posted by Mike Florio on February 26, 2012, 2:03 PM EDT

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Last month, Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports compared new Raiders owner Mark Davis to Tommy Boy, the charmingly incompetent son of a deceased business owner who proceeded to drive the business into the ground. Many fans, however, would be more likely to envision Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeting out the lyrics to Fat Guy in a Little Coat (then again, the title contains all of the lyrics). But in Silver’s latest item, a very long but very well done look at the situation in Indianapolis, Silver makes Irsay look like Einstein for his handling of a franchise that suddenly has run aground.

Regardless of whether anyone agrees or disagrees with all or part of Silver’s assessment, some news is buried in the 1,973-word opus, even if it takes a staff with a specially-designed crystal catching a ray of sunlight at a precise moment in the late afternoon to find it.

Silver says that Irsay has decided to move on from Peyton Manning, and to draft Andrew Luck.

“Luck is The Guy,” an unnamed source told Silver. “I don’t care what happens [at the Combine]. I don’t care if Griffin flies.”

That said, Silver leaves the door very slightly open on Manning returning. Per Silver, it will take “something dramatic and unexpected” for Manning to play again for the Colts, an outcome that “almost certainly” won’t happen.

Silver also compares the latter days of Brett Favre’s time in Green Bay to Manning’s looming departure from Indy, but there’s one major difference. The powers-that-be in Green Bay never took Brett’s bait, refusing to engage him in a battle of wits and/or words (OK, words), even if Packers had to hire former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer to hold their hands and/or muzzle their mouths.

Irsay has no one with the ability or the nerve to comment on the emperor’s choice of attire, and so Irsay largely has lost the P.R. battle by calling Peyton a “politician,” by failing to control the impulse to type 140 characters or less on the ultimate test of impulse control, and (possibly) by strategically leaking negative information regarding Manning’s health in the hopes of persuading the locals not to storm the castle when Peyton is cut, or as part of an exercise in wishful thinking that Manning will play neither for the Colts nor anyone else.

Though Irsay deserves credit for being decisive regarding the need for a new power structure, he also needs to be faulted for putting together a franchise that in 2011 stared down adversity by shriveling into a tumbleweed. And he should be called out for failing to follow his own advice to keep things in house regarding the delicate process of untangling the franchise quarterback from the franchise.

Despite the fact that Luck has yet to say or do anything to suggest that he’ll do to Jim Irsay what John Elway once did to Irsay’s father, the manner in which Jim Irsay handles the Manning situation eventually could prompt Luck to have the same opinion regarding Irsay that Silver has regarding Mark Davis.

65 responses to “Report: Irsay wants Luck in, Peyton out”

Mike Silver is the clown that said Mark Davis is severing ties with people that witnessed him being mistreated by his father, so that they will be free to say whatever they want about Mark Davis being mistreated by his father.

Bottom line…..Mr. Irsay is a smart man….Luck is a once in every 10 or 15 year prospect. Clearly a significant cut above any other QB availableand the ability to dominate in the NFL. No other QB in the draft even comes close to sniffing this. If Barkley had come out early maybe, but all the other QBs in this draft will be lucky if they put together one year that Luck will do consistently for 10 years.

Peyton IS the horseshoe. I know that often times after a legend leaves a team, then the team is terrible for the next few seasons bc that said team usually goes into a rebuilding mode cutting many highly paid veterans in favor of starting over again and getting younger.

This is NOT what happened to the 2011 Colts. This was the supporting cast that Irsay had put around Peyton, and is the direct reason why he only has 1 SB ring.

I hope he has learned his lesson and do a better job of getting Luck a Defense, special teams, O-line, and running game. Having a stud QB can only go so far and cant cover up all their holes.

That being said, as a Colts fand AND a Peyton fan, it is probably best they go their seperate ways and Peyton maybe able to go to a team where he doesnt have to do all the work to make his team a success like he did in Indy.

For the long-term health of the Colts, Peyton’s injury was a blessing. It made clear for all to see how awful their TEAM is. Not only will they save a ton of money, but now they can rebuilt with an eye on not making the same mistakes they did in the later years of the Polian reign.

I applaud Jim Irsay for the blowing up of the status quo. And what has he got to lose? They just had their new stadium built so the team isn’t going anywhere.

You can’t always tell how a person is going to act, especially when it comes to money.

I don’t think Luck will pull an Elway, but I could definitely see why he would. It used to be that a player who decided to do this lost a truckload of money due to the differences between the first and even the second pick, but now that difference is not nearly as much.

Though Irsay deserves credit for being decisive regarding the need for a new power structure, he also needs to be faulted for putting together a franchise that in 2011 stared down adversity by shriveling into a tumbleweed.
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I hear all the time how Polian, Irsay, and the Colts were irresponsible or whatever for not getting a better backup QB. Fact is there were no backups out there that were going to take the Colts to the playoffs and make them contenders. They set the roster up this way for 14 years and it worked out pretty darn good. Then the one year he gets hurt, they get the #1 choice and will get Luck. So now whether Peyton returns or not, they have a very good chance to have an elite QB for the next 15 years. Where would they be if they had a decent backup? Maybe 8-8 with no QB for the future.

As a Colt fan, I will take 1 bad year to have this scenario work out like it did.

Fact is when you have an elite QB you may look for a backup in the late rounds. Sometimes you end up with a Matt Flynn or Matt Cassel, sometimes you end up with a Curtis Painter. Anyone know who is backing up Brees and have any idea if he can play or not? Question for Patriot fans, how do you like using that 3rd round pick on Mallett, or would you rather have drafted a potential DL that could rush the passer?

The fact that the media hasn’t commented that this guy was a loose cannon years ago is more evidence that they cover what they want to cover.

He’s a former drug addict who had a crazy father, so it wouldn’t have ever been too far fetched to think he was crazy, too. Yet, the media ignored all the crazy tweets (which preceded this year contrary to popular belief) and bizarre behavior until this past season much like they turned a blind eye to Leigh Steinberg’s disintegration.

Peyton doesn’t deserve this nonsense, no matter what you think of him, he’s the greatest QB of this era overall and put that laughable franchise on the map.

Do people remember how much of a joke the Colts were? From the awful Trev Alberts pick to Quentin Coryatt to Steve Emtman, you name it, they were awful. He won along with Dungy’s guidance more than 10 games a year for 10 years. Even with a buffoon like Jim Caldwell as coach, he won 10 games and nearly another Super Bowl. Business is business, but you don’t have to try to humiliate one of your franchise’s greatest players, and definitely the greatest of Jim Irsay’s tenure, in order to make yourself not look like the weasel that you are.

At least from how he clipped the Polians as I speculated at the time, some people in the building had more class than to try to drag Peyton through the mud to try to score some PR points.

I hope Luck pulls a Eli on the Colts, it would be Karma, Suck for Luck sweepstake was bull, And Colts cut Manning and him playing another 2-3 years at a pro bowl caliber level with another team, that would be sweet. Good luck Manning, I curse Irsay, and the Colts…….

“Though Irsay deserves credit for being decisive regarding the need for a new power structure…
Yes.

he also needs to be faulted for putting together a franchise that in 2011 stared down adversity by shriveling into a tumbleweed.
No. He had what everyone thought was one of the top GMs in the game. virtually every football fan in America thought they were one of the top teams in the NFL and did not realize to what a great extent the impact of losing Manning would have.

And he should be called out for failing to follow his own advice to keep things in house regarding the delicate process of untangling the franchise quarterback from the franchise.
Definitely should have just kept his mouth shut. I just don’t think he has the ability to do so.

You know it’s getting old. Every single day there is a hundred stories of “Where’s Peyton going to play” and “Are the Colts REALLY going to take Luck?” when we all know the answer.

Personally, Irsay is screwing Manning, and no it’s not cool. Go ahead and start Luck right away, week 1. That’s a huge screw up if he don’t have a good veteran there to mentor him like Manning, but they are assuming he’s the man right away. You never know, and behind that beaten terrible offensive line; I would not put money on him coming out right away and shaking the world.

If he was smart, he’d try to work something out to keep Manning and take Luck and put him on the bench to learn from Peyton in his final years. That’s what the Packers did when they drafted Rodgers. They knew Favre’s time was coming to an end, and they had Rodgers on the bench for a few years to get into the mold of becoming a starter.

The Colts are LUCKy there is a QB of this caliber exactly when they needed ironically. Most stabilized team at the position for the last 10 years, even before Brady and now poof. Just like that Peytons career and the Colts organization takes an unknown turn to who knows where. Even for a Peyton Manning it doesn’t last as long as you’d think.

Irsay will not sign Luck before his pro day, let alone before he releases Manning.
And Irsay will not offer Manning a new contract because he doesn’t want to risk Manning saying “yes.”
And Irsay will not sign Vince Young or Donovan McNabb. He may not sign a veteran at all, just like he didn’t when Manning was a rookie. Carolina didn’t have a veteran last year either – unless Derek Anderson counts – and they actually released Matt Moore.

First off I’m a die hard Pats fan. Hate Peyton, but you have to respect what he’s done for the Colts and the NFL! The way Irsay is handling things is just wrong. Wonder if Manning will stay within the division to try and whoop the Colts ass twice a year.

Irsay is anything but smart. He should of released Manning days after the Superbowl. This would have been old news and not the main topic for the NFL off-season. With RGII and Luck, and the very long list of big name Free agents ready to hit the market, this would have been a non-story come March. Instead, Peyton is front and center and the Colts/Irsay are seen as the bad guys.

No, he is waiting until March 8, the mutually agreed deadline. Cutting Manning now wouldn’t accomplish squat anyway. Manning can’t sign with another team because his arm strength isn’t back yet, and he probably can’t even pass a physical either. If Manning is physically ready to sign with a team before the draft in 2 months, let alone in the early days of free agency in 3 weeks, it would be outstanding (for Manning and the team that gets him) but don’t count on it.

You folks just want Irsay to cut Manning so you can start ripping him. It doesn’t have squat to do with season tickets, because everybody knows that Manning is done in Indy. It is hilarious … folks want Irsay to throw away the future of the franchise out of “loyalty” to Manning. How about Manning show some of that loyalty by agreeing to play for the veteran minimum (after all, he should still have the $26 million that he got last year for not playing a down, more than Luck will get during his entire rookie contract!) until the Colts rebuild from that 2-14 mess? Hmmm … nope. Manning is going to go to the team that pays him the most MONEY. Period.

This should tell you how intelligent Irsay is – Irsay has made political contributions to John Edwards and Harry Reid.
Irsay’s an a-hole who inherited the team from another a-hole. Manning has done more than any other member of that team and he deserves better

truthfactory says:
This is NOT what happened to the 2011 Colts. This was the supporting cast that Irsay had put around Peyton, and is the direct reason why he only has 1 SB ring.

I hope he has learned his lesson and do a better job of getting Luck a Defense, special teams, O-line, and running game. Having a stud QB can only go so far and cant cover up all their holes.

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I honestly laugh everytime I hear a Colt’s fan talk about how Manning would have more than one ring if he had a better supporting cast. It’s hilarious. Throughout his carreer, he’s been surrounded by talent on all sides of the ball. He’s had Edgerin James, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark on offense….Mike Vanderjadgt (although a douche, is still the most accurate kicker in NFL history) and Vinatieri now…..and contrary to popular belief, from 2005 – 2009 the Colts D was only once not in the top 10 in scoring D. (2005 – 2nd with 15.4 pts/game allowed; 2006 – 23rd with 22.5 pts/ game allowed (Colts win SB); 2007 – 1st with 16.4 pts/ game allowed; 2008 – 7th with 18.6 pts/ game allowed; and 2009 – 8th with 19.2 pts/ game allowed).

Manning is no doubt a first ballot HOF, but the fact is, he’s had the talent around him to win about 4 Super Bowl’s and he hasn’t done it. He always seems to come up short in the biggest games. Peyton might be a better “all around QB” but I’d take Eli over him in the big game with everything on the line…and the weight of Eli’s hand is proof.

Said it all along Irsay is racist and has been working hard to make sure Rg3 does not come to his team as QB. He could be water boy, receiver, any other position but that one. All minority’s ban Colts games for the way he has insulted RG3 and for the way he has insulted Peyton .
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Interesting. He supposedly insulted both a blac and white guy so he is racist? Maybe Irsay only likes hispanics and oriental.

How is this news? Why would you not want a QB that can set your franchise up for the next 12-15 years?

Peyton’s got 3-4 at most if his arm can regain the strength it once had; that’s a big if. Because the NFL is QB driven, you need that franchise security.

I have no problem with Irsay’s line of reasoning. You can not live in the past in the NFL, you have to live in the moment and what your players can do for you now. That is the down side of having a salary cap. Otherwise it’s like baseball and we all know how baseball is trending in this country.

my only problem with this whole senario is that everything is based on luck being a “god” on the field. i don’t watch much college football, but i did see a couple of game with luck, was not impressed. i am sure that he is good because of all the hype, but as a walk on starter with that team. all i can say is good luck. (no pun intended)

” … and so Irsay largely has lost the P.R. battle …”
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Maybe to those foolish enough to want to kiss Manning’s a$$. Irsay is a businessman. He doesn’t have what he has because of stupidity. Manning on the other hand swindled the Colts out of $28 million last season. Manning is done. And he knew that he was done last year.

And Manning continues to try to con anyone into paying him more money for doing nothing. Because that’s all he will be able to do. Nothing. Manning is worth well over $100 million but he’ll lie, cheat and steal for more money. Greedy Swamp Boy. Done. Done. Done.

“Anyone know who is backing up Brees and have any idea if he can play or not?”

Chase Daniels and maybe for a game or two.

As for the Colts: wished the Eagles did the same thing and blew everything up and started over. Better than having false hope and getting heartbroken in the end (which was going to be the fate of the Colts if Manning came back. Face it Colt fans, it’s time to start over). BTW, Luck doesn’t have the same leverage Elway used to get traded (his baseball career with the Yankees). Plus, if Irsay did fold and trade him, it’ll cost about 3 #1s, a couple of 2s and a player.

Luck is Colts pick not RG3. And peyton is trying to act like he’s above the horseshoe. Irsay is the owner and Peytons the player. Remember Irsay was there b4 Peyton and will be there way after he leaves. He has to do what’s best for the team he OWNS people say peyton made the Colts, but Irsay made Peyton a millionaire n always made sure all his contracts were tops in the nfl. Irsay owes peyton nothing but thanks for doing your job that u was well paid to do. Peyton was #1 pick n they are usually picked that high to called upon to turn a franchise around. He did his job. And remember folks. Colts were a play away from reaching SB wth jim harbaugh b4 peyton. So they wasn’t a joke franchise.

I hope Luck pulls a Eli on the Colts, it would be Karma, Suck for Luck sweepstake was bull, And Colts cut Manning and him playing another 2-3 years at a pro bowl caliber level with another team, that would be sweet. Good luck Manning, I curse Irsay, and the Colts…….
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So I take it that you’re not a true Colts fan but always had a man crush on Manning?

I feel for Colts fans. I remember going through the Montana to Young transition and I hated it. Looking back after 20 years I can see it was the right move but at the time I was so furious with the 49ers that it spoiled my enjoyment of watching their games.

I agree with Silver – it’s time for the Colts to make the transition. They need a full rebuild and Manning would impede that. Being the right move doesn’t make it any easier for Colts fans though.

With all the banter between manning and Irsay, it leaves a lot of mustard on the owners face. Big money makes for harder decesions and this has been one. Looks as if time has come in Colt land for a new leader and applaud the one leaving.

Fans of other teams are fighting over if peytons coming to their teams. Well your team isn’t an instant SB contender cause yal sign peyton. U will be signing the 36 year old. 4 neck procedures. Arm n neck needs nerve regeneration, off for a year Peyton manning and who will still want a nice payday for going to your team. Cause he’s greedy n his agent tom condon is greedy too. And watch peyton throw your team under the bus too and will act like he’s king peyton in your city n team. Peyton had many great regular season wins. But just wait til the playoffs. He’s gonna choke like Linda lovelace

This has been a no brainer right along. There is as much choice about having for your QB an old mega-expensive broke-neck player or the hottest young prospect to come along in decades, as there is between having Roseanne Barr or Angelina Jolie for your lover.

Anybody who thinks there is a choice here, needs to get their head examined, or their eyes.

The deal is there are no winners here. Irsay is clearly not a competent owner (he’s done nothing but prove it the last few years), but Peyton Manning has been with the Colts since 1998 and by now it should be obvious he is Dan Marino with better stats but still with the same fundamental weakness – inability to elevate their game come playoff time. The Colts were a smoke-and-mirrors outfit throughout the Manning-Polian era and now they’re on the verge of becoming just like the Jets or the Raiders or the Browns.

Said it all along Irsay is racist and has been working hard to make sure Rg3 does not come to his team as QB. He could be water boy, receiver, any other position but that one. All minority’s ban Colts games for the way he has insulted RG3 and for the way he has insulted Peyton .

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Hired Dungy, then when he retired hired Caldwell….yep, what a racist owner he is.

So anyone who might think Luck is a better prospect than RG3 (which is just about every GM and draft analyst), must be a racist. This is the same guy who thinks because RG3 won the Heisman he is better. Ever hear of Troy Smith, Chris Weinke, Danny Wuerfall (sp?), Eric Crouch? How good of a pro were those guys?

Fact is when you have an elite QB you may look for a backup in the late rounds. Sometimes you end up with a Matt Flynn or Matt Cassel, sometimes you end up with a Curtis Painter. Anyone know who is backing up Brees and have any idea if he can play or not? Question for Patriot fans, how do you like using that 3rd round pick on Mallett, or would you rather have drafted a potential DL that could rush the passer?
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Don’t think any other Pats fan has given this one a shot so I will. There are a lot of times we are sitting there scratching our heads when the Pats pick, no doubt. But Pats had to grab a good Qb prospect because their current backup Hoyer is a RFA. Plus they drafted another QB in the 3rd in 08 (O’Connell) but he didn’t work out. They usually draft a QB. BB believes in drafting and developing QBs like some other very good GMs/ (R. Wolf) and coaches did/do.

Pats were actually pretty decent rushing the passer this past year simply because BB is pretty good at looking at guys’ skillsets and figuring out how to use them like he did with FAs Anderson & Carter. Those two guys were pretty darned good.

Besides Polian’s not believing in developing QBs, the other problem was that the Colts did not seem to have a good coaching staff. I would almost GUARANTEE you this : give BB Dan Orlovsky in 2008 and he still could have pulled 10 wins out of that Pats team. If the Colts had a good coaching staff there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY they would have won only 2 games. I don’t care if your QB got hurt, there’s 0 excuse for having what they still had skill position wise on offense and having just 2 wins. Those Colts players had pride and played hard, they just had no one coaching them who could help them win.

IMO the problems on the Colts were many fold and I think Irsay took the biggest step to correct them by firing the Polian family and the HC, then hiring a no nonsense defensive minded HC (not a yes man like Dungy or Caldwell who did Polian’s bidding)who seems like he will be in charge of the guys on the field when they are playing instead of the QB or GM. I think the Colts are headed in the right direction.

“Silver also compares the latter days of Brett Favre’s time in Green Bay to Manning’s looming departure from Indy, but there’s one major difference. The powers-that-be in Green Bay never took Brett’s bait, refusing to engage him in a battle of wits and/or words (OK, words), even if Packers had to hire former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer to hold their hands and/or muzzle their mouths.”

Please! The Packers were constantly leaking things to their lackeys in the Wisconsin press. Both Favre and the Packers looked bad in that case as Irsay & Manning are starting to in this one. Divorce can be ugly.

I have been a Colts fan my entire life and I’m 40. My buddies and I sit around at our watering hole and talk Colts football 24/7.

None of us know anyone who is a fan of the team that thinks Jim Irsay is an idiot or a bad owner.

I go on these forums and such and ppl are going on about what an idiot Irsay is or a bad owner. These people, from my experience, are not Colts fans. They are outsiders that know practically nothing about the Colts.

The Colts have to make a gut wrenching decision but every fan I know understands that tough decisions have to be made and I don’t know a single Colts fan that wasn’t ready to move on without Polian and Caldwell. I don’t know a single Colts fan who doesn’t understand that its time to move on without Manning, even though we love him.

I hear lots of negative talk about the owner and the team and this and that… but not from Colts fans. We love Manning but we also know when its time.

I honestly laugh everytime I hear a Colt’s fan talk about how Manning would have more than one ring if he had a better supporting cast. It’s hilarious. Throughout his carreer, he’s been surrounded by talent on all sides of the ball. He’s had Edgerin James, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark on offense….Mike Vanderjadgt (although a douche, is still the most accurate kicker in NFL history) and Vinatieri now…..and contrary to popular belief, from 2005 – 2009 the Colts D was only once not in the top 10 in scoring D. (2005 – 2nd with 15.4 pts/game allowed; 2006 – 23rd with 22.5 pts/ game allowed (Colts win SB); 2007 – 1st with 16.4 pts/ game allowed; 2008 – 7th with 18.6 pts/ game allowed; and 2009 – 8th with 19.2 pts/ game allowed).

Manning is no doubt a first ballot HOF, but the fact is, he’s had the talent around him to win about 4 Super Bowl’s and he hasn’t done it. He always seems to come up short in the biggest games. Peyton might be a better “all around QB” but I’d take Eli over him in the big game with everything on the line…and the weight of Eli’s hand is proof.

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TY, finally some reality. Paid-A-Ton Manning, prior to his SB win, was a playoff choker. Then they finally beat the Pats and get to the SB. Then, they have the battle of the ages against that all-world, Canton shoe-in, GOAT QB Rex freaking Grossman. And it wasnt the brilliance of Paid-A-Ton that got them that Lombardi. It was Paid-A-Ton finally putting his ego in check, and handing off the ball during the playoffs. The incompetence of the Bears QB, not the brilliance of their own got the Colts a SB. If the Bears had a real QB, chances are Indy loses that game, and Paid-A-Ton is still the Fantasy Football Hero, Post-Season Zero he was before, and after the 2006 season.

For the amount of sucking off Paid-A-Ton gets from the media you would think he had 4 rings. He doesnt, and will end up with only 1. Meanwhile in his own era Brady has 3 and Big Ben has 2.

But dont let championships influence your opinion, obviously someone who has as many records as Paid-A-Ton and MVP awards is the GOAT. That is all you heard the last few years, (except when it was time to start sucking off Tom Brady, but that is another conversation).

No, Not. Not even close.

And his career may well be over, but that did not stop him from taking the money. And no, he wasn’t due that money for anything. Paid-A-Ton has been by far the most compensated QB throughout his career.

The Colts franchise is the way it is because that is what Polian, Irsay and Manning wanted.